Low-Cytotoxicity, Broad-Spectrum Corn Starch-Based Antibacterial Particles that Inhibit Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Microbiology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to biomedical applications, increasing the risk of treatment failure.
• Developing effective antibacterial agents against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a critical research objective.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and prepare a novel, low-cytotoxicity, and highly efficient alternative to conventional antibiotics.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy and stability of the developed agent against various bacterial strains, including MDR pathogens.

Main Methods:

• Edible corn starch was utilized as a scaffold, functionalized with 2-hydroxypropyl-trimethylammonium chloride chitosan (HTCC) as the antimicrobial agent.
• The resulting HTCC/starch particles were characterized for their surface charge, antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and stability in simulated gastric fluid (SGF).

Main Results:

• The HTCC/starch particles exhibited a stable positive surface charge across a wide pH range.
• These particles demonstrated broad-spectrum and highly efficient antimicrobial activity against standard bacterial strains and a clinical MDR strain.
• The particles effectively inhibited the growth of MDR *Escherichia coli* after exposure to SGF (pH 1.2), indicating gastric acid tolerance.

Conclusions:

• HTCC/starch particles represent a potentially cost-effective and viable alternative to antibiotics for addressing AMR.
• Their efficacy against pathogenic intestinal bacteria and tolerance to gastric acid conditions make them particularly promising for applications targeting the gut microbiome.